Monitor Photo/Ashlee Sawyer
Members of the Cedar Creek Lake Area Chamber of Commerce and leadership class, pose for a picture with State Representative Keith Bell (front center) on the steps of the state capitol Feb. 4.  

Monitor Photo/Ashlee Sawyer
State Representative Keith Bell addresses members of the Cedar Creek Lake Area Chamber of Commerce Feb. 4. 

AUSTIN—Members of the Cedar Creek Lake Area Chamber of Commerce (CCLACC) Leadership class made their annual trip to the state capital Feb. 4. Attendees were in for a full day as they left Mabank at 5:30 a.m. and arrived in Austin around 10 a.m. Members jumped straight into information with a welcome from State Representative Keith Bell. Bell updated members on the seven emergency items named by Governor Greg Abbott to be discussed and voted upon during this 89th legislative session. The items were:
• Property tax relief 
• Generational investment in 
water
• Increasing teachers’ average 
salary pay to an all-time high
• Career training expansion
• School choice 
• Bail reform 
• Texas Cyber Command creation
While the school choice item has already been voted on, the property tax relief must be passed this session, explained Bell. Bell also informed members that Texas is looking at surrounding states like Arkansas and Louisiana for water. While Texas has natural aquifers, it is the governor’s goal not to deplete them. Abbott announced the Texas Cyber Command creation as an emergency item Feb. 2, which would be used to combat the growing rise in cyber-attacks targeting the US state. Bail reform is also at the heart of this legislative session. Abbot is seeking to keep dangerous criminals behind bars by imposing tougher standards for setting bail and punishments for violating bonds. This session, Abbott will work with the Texas Legislature to pass a constitutional amendment to require judges to deny bail for violent offenders and to require that bail be denied if an offender is accused of capital murder or a sexual offense of a child. The career training expansion item is to provide education and training needed to develop a highly skilled workforce and prepare Texans for in-demand, good-paying jobs. To prepare students for similar opportunities, Texas must require high schools to provide more career training programs so students can go from graduation directly into a good-paying job. Addressing teachers’ average salary pay to an all-time high the Governor stated, “while average teacher pay is the highest it’s ever been, Texas must do more to attract and retain top talent and improve educator preparation and supports. A thriving teacher workforce is critical to educational excellence. All teachers in Texas should earn competitive salaries, and teachers who excel at classroom instruction should be rewarded and put on a path to earning a six-figure salary.” Abbott outlined key steps that should be taken to ensure higher earnings for teachers which include: 
• Increase teacher salaries through direct appropriation in teacher pay and other compensation strategies 
• Invest $750 million in 2026-2027 to expand the Teacher Incentive Allotment, bringing more teachers into the merit pay program sooner and increasing merit pay amounts overall 
• Waive fees for certification in high-need areas like special education and bilingual education 
• Help mitigate costs for districts that hire retired teachers 
• Invest in high-quality teacher preparation pathways, including Teacher Residencies, Apprenticeships, and Grow Your Own Programs 
• Increase the Mentor Program Allotment and develop statewide mentor teacher training 
• Fund a statewide marketing campaign to recruit more teachers to the profession through high-quality pathways 
• Collect data regarding teacher retention and recruitment, including the classifications, grade levels, subject areas, duration, and other relevant data relating to vacancies in teaching positions and create a job board to address vacancies
Members were then led to the senate gallery where Senator Robert Nichols acknowledged the CCLACC members on the senate floor. After lunch members attended the House of Representatives for recognition of Cedar Creek Lake Day. Members then headed to hear an informative presentation from the Texas Comptrollers Office. The comptroller’s office explained that in 2018 Texas began operating the nation’s only state-run bullion depository. It is a highly secure, government-backed storage facility comparable to the U.S. Bullion Depository in Fort Knox, KY which holds federal reserves. Unclaimed funds, sales tax, and property tax guidance were also discussed.